Great video of crowd reaction to USA’s greatest moment in World Cup history

Great video of crowd reaction to USA's women's World Cup win against Brazil in 2011

My favorite World Cup commercial video all-time

Funny video on FIFA and the World Cup

What is the World Cup?

posted 2014

It’s “The Final” soccer competition between surviving nation teams from a tournament contested across the world.

Who makes up the competing teams?
A nation’s team is selected from that nations best soccer league players across the world.

Who should you pull for?
Your home country, the favorites (Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Spain), the underdogs (Honduras, Costa Rica, Algeria, Iran), Teams with the best players (Argentina-Lionel Messi, Brazil-Neymar, Portugal-Cristiano Rinaldo, Uruguay-Luis Suarez), Teams with the best story: Bosnia-Herznagovnia (first tournament for this country that suffered through the ravages of the Bosnia-Serbia-Croatia War in the 1990’s) Iran (their players have been told not to trade their jerseys with the opposing teams at the end of a game (a soccer tradition) so as to save money).

How did the teams get here?
Finishing top or near the top of regional competitions held over the preceding 3 years, the regions are North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania (New Zealand area).

When is the tournament?
It spans about 30 days starting Thursday June 12, 2014.

Where is "The Final” held?
In stadiums throughout the country of Brazil.

What does the winning team get?
35 million dollars for their countries soccer organization.

The 3 year qualification process for the World Cup Final begins almost immediately after the last final. Two hundred plus countries' national soccer teams (all-star teams) compete. After over 800 matches 32 teams are left for the 30 day final tournament.

How to win at Chess in 4 easy steps

Opening pawn moves should exert some pressure on the middle 4 squares of the table.
Develop your knights and bishops early to the 2nd, 3rd or 4th rank if white (7th, 6th & 5th ranks if black) preferably exerting pressure on the middle 4 squares again. This early development will lend itself to castling which should be done fairly early. Castling will also help one of your rooks enter the fray earlier than it might otherwise. Develop the queen after the knight and bishop.

Do not advance your pieces too far too early as this will likely just lead to your wasting moves in retreat when they are pushed back by the opposing players pawns or other pieces and even worse potential loss of your prematurely advanced piece.

When possible position your rook on long open files or ranks.

During the “middle game” try to get one of your pieces to occupy the middle two squares of the fifth rank if white (4th rank if black), with adequate support of course, as this makes it very hard for the opposing player to move his pieces.

During the 2nd half of the middle game start moving your pieces with a plan for attack on the opposing players king. And in the end game execute your plan for checkmate.

After each move ask what does the opponent’s newly moved piece threaten to capture or do in subsequent moves or your newly moved piece expose or open up for you.

Castling - Moving the king two squares to the left or right and placing the rook (castle) just next to the king on the other side. The involved pieces cannot have been moved nor can the moving king or any of the squares it moves through or to be in check.

lichess.org is a great site for playing and learning chess. Mouse over the Learn tab and click Training or Openings for good exercises that are moderately enjoyable 😊 You can also mouse over the Play tab and click Create a game then click the black/white king’s crown and play a game with someone else anonymously, no registration required. There’s an app for your phone or tablet too.